Janelle had an interest in ROCK long before she came to volunteer here. She printed out a hard copy volunteer application (that’s how long ago it was!) and kept it for five years, until she retired from the Texas State Board of Pharmacy in 2016. Even then, she spent the next year sanding and painting her kitchen cabinets. Yes, she spent that much time on the project but assures us that they turned out fabulously.
At that point, it was finally time to look more seriously into volunteering. Janelle states she’s always been a ‘Cowgirl Wannabe’, so ROCK was the right fit. She stopped in and spoke with Dorothy, only to find out that paper applications were a thing of the past! Dorothy directed her to the online application process and Janelle quickly signed up.
Janelle is a Horse Handler, and she genuinely loves each and every horse. Although she is consistently thanked for volunteering, she feels she gets more out of it than she gives. She feels stronger physically and emotionally through her work with the horses. Janelle also has a very special place in her heart for individuals needing assistance. This makes ROCK the perfect fit for her! She appreciates how well-run ROCK is, organized and set up in such a way as to provide success for its riders.
She says she was a bit surprised when she passed her Horse Handler classes and felt humbled by the amount of trust ROCK had in her, allowing her to be in charge of horses. Over time though, she has grown confident in her ability to do her job well. She’d like to give a shout-out to her Horse Handler Mentor, Cheryl. While Janelle loves being a part of the ROCK organization, her passion is really grooming, hugging, and loving on the horses.
Outside of volunteering, Janelle loves to knit, crochet and paint bird baths- check them out at the silent auction! She and her husband, a talented guitar player/singer, enjoy spending time with their three grown children who live nearby. She played in a soccer league for 25 years, but now she and her husband play tennis and ride bikes along the many trails of Round Rock and Pflugerville.
February Featured ROCKateer: Kim Pagan